1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related generally to gasket assemblies for establishing a gas-tight seal around an opening.
2. Related Art
Gasket assemblies are often used to seal and prevent leakage between two parts, such as a cylinder head and an exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine. Sealing the gap, however, can be difficult because the cylinder head and the exhaust manifold may move relative to one another due to pressure and temperature fluctuations during operation of the engine. This may result in the gasket assembly being subjected to pressure changes during operation of the engine. Additionally, the cylinder head, exhaust manifold and gasket assembly may each experience thermal expansion and contraction in response to temperature variations in the cylinder head.
Multi-layered metal gasket assemblies including a steel core layer, one or more facing layers and top and bottom layers have been employed to protect against the problems that may result from the pressure and temperature changes that the gasket assembly may experience during use. Such designs typically employ eyelets or grommets made of various materials at the openings. However, such eyelets or grommets add to the cost and complexity of the gasket assembly.